+ An anthropologist
proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit
near a tree and told them that whoever got there first would win the sweet
fruits. When he gave them the signal to run, they all took each other’s hands
and ran together, then sat in a circle enjoying their treats. When the
anthropologist asked them why they chose to run as a group when they could have
had more fruit individually, one child spoke up and said: UBUNTU, how can one
of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?’ UBUNTU in Xhosa culture means:
“I am because we are.”

+ ArchBishop
Desmond Tutu highlights this African orientation to community, Ubuntu, in
his wonderful book God
Has a Dream. He says: "Members of a family have a gentle caring and
compassion for one another. How I pray that we will open our eyes and see the
real, true identity of each one of us, that this one is not a white or black,
Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, or Jew, but a brother, a sister, and treat
each other as such. If we could but recognize our common humanity, that we do
belong together, that our destinies are bound up in one another's, that we can
be free only together, that we can survive only together, that we can be human
only together, then a glorious world would come into being where all of us
lived harmoniously together as members of one family, the human family, God's
family. In truth a transfiguration would take place. God's dream would become a
reality.”

The main idea of Ubuntuis
that cooperation rather than competition is what makes us human. “I am because
we are.” What truly makes us human is what truly makes us heavenly. This is who
we really are. The layers of prejudice,
envy, fear, suspicion, greed and selfishness are not who we really are. We can let go of all that. We really can. Be still and simply
be who you really are, a heavenly being here on earth receiving and giving Love
abundantly. This is bliss. Now. Here.+
We explored the practice of Love
& Compassion during our exploration of Heavenliness
as a practice in these SE posts: 241
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